Huntington Beach on alert for predator

Police in Huntington Beach are on alert for a sexual predator who is following women home. There have been four incidents reported in the downtown area since August.The so-called "nighttime prowler" is suspected in at least two cases of sexual battery.

Police said the suspect follows women walking in the downtown area, starts a conversation with them as they walk home. In one of the incidences, he waited until the woman was inside her home, then got in through an unlocked door or window.

In the most recent case, the suspect touched the victim while she was walking home.

The news of the sexual predator is causing concern among Huntington Beach residents.

"When it's late at night and, someone's trying to talk to me, I pretend like I don't hear them and I walk faster just because there are people out there that are trying to do really bad things to people," said Amanda Sopp of Huntington Beach.

The suspect is described as a male Hispanic, between the ages of 20 to 30, between 5 feet 7 inches tall to 5 feet 9 inches tall and about 180 to 200 pounds. He has crooked front teeth and a deep voice. The biggest concern is that the suspect could be getting more brazen with each incident.

"A lot of us walk by ourselves at night, a lot of us work at night, so it makes me really nervous," said Leilani Vasquez of Huntington Beach.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Huntington Beach detective hotline at (714) 375-5066.